Alley Art Studio – Page 17

Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour Returns

After a year hiatus, the Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour has returned. This is a self-guided public tour of local artist studios in Marion and Polk Counties. The tour is Saturday and Sunday, September 13-14, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. More information is available about the tour on the website. There are 19 artist studios on the tour and the cost is only $5 for both days and all the studios. Tickets can be purchased at the Art Department, Bush Barn, and from all tour artists.

I participated in this event in both 2011 and 2012, both times when I was in my previous studio. For this event, you’ll have the opportunity to see my upstairs painting studio, my basement assemblage studio, and you’ll have the opportunity to buy art. I’ll have old as well as new oil and cold wax paintings, Funky Junkyard Birds, greetings cards, prints, reproductions of Fearless Faces, and dozens of new Curious Elements.

Limited edition giclee prints of this original oil and cold wax painting, "Spotted With Crimson," will be available for the first time. — Limited edition giclee prints of this original oil and cold wax painting, “Spotted With Crimson,” will be available for the first time.

In addition to all this art goodness, there will be one final opportunity to support my Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project and purchase prayer flags at half price: only $5 each, with proceeds from the sale of the flags going to art programming at Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility.

During the studio tour, I’m also having a studio SALE. Everything will be reduced in some way, with some things being marked down as much as 50%.

16x20 canvas reproductions of Fearless Faces, regularly $80, will be on sale for half price. Only $40 each. — 16×20 canvas reproductions of Fearless Faces, regularly $80, will be on sale for half price. Only $40 each.

Oil and cold wax block sets were $45, will be on sale for half price at $22.

I hope you’ll stop by my artful home on Saturday and Sunday and experience three floors of art. My sister will be on hand to greet you, serve you a snack and cold drink, and assist you with purchases. My husband will be in the basement to show you my downstairs found object and assemblage studio (be sure and have him open cabinets and drawers for you), and I’ll be upstairs to share my oil and cold wax painting process.

Questions? Contact me via e-mail: dayna@daynajcollins.com/curele.

PS I’m hoping to have a “Square” in place to take debit and credit cards, but cash is always preferred and appreciated.

Scattered By the Wind: Coming to a Close

My Scattered By the Wind project is coming to a close. It started in June and the final reception will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 5-8 pm. I have tracked the progression of the project through several blog posts, which can be seen by working backwards beginning with my July 17th post. I have also posted photos of all the flags received and created on my Facebook page: Scattered By the Wind. Flags are due by next Tuesday and then on Wednesday night, we celebrate!

As to today, here are the numbers:

198 flags have been sent or given out

131 flags have been returned

116 flags have been created at Project Space venue

28 flags created by me

Total flags flying: 275!

104 flags have been sold

$1,295 has been raised through the sale of flags and through donations made to the project

The final reception and celebration will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 5-8 pm, at the Project Space venue located in downtown Salem on the second floor of Liberty Plaza at 285 Liberty Street NE. Flags will be available for viewing and purchase ($10 each). All flags purchased will be released at 8:00 pm. Flags will also be available for pick up on Thursday, September 4th, from 11-1.

Blog Hop

My artist friend Ruth Armitage invited me to participate in a blog hop. I’ve never done one before so I decided it would be fun to accept. I met Ruth many years ago and our paths just keep crossing. Ruth has an amazing, active, colorful blog, a beautiful website, and writes an energetic newsletter. She is a master of keeping connected using technology. Ruth is truly the epitome of a working artist; she is always creating new work and is not afraid to experiment and push the envelope with color and new materials.

So, as I understand how this works, Ruth has written a post answering three questions and she has tagged three artists who, in turn, will write a post answering the same three questions, and then they tag three artists, and on it goes with the idea that we all get to meet new artists and create a new networks of artists. Here goes.

HOW DOES MY CREATING PROCESS WORK

I always have several projects in process and because I work in different mediums, it depends on which medium I’m working. I don’t jump back and forth too much; if I’m in a painting phase, I concentrate on painting. If I’m working on found object assemblages, I immerse myself in the process of laying out and auditioning vintage materials. So maybe a quick peek at the two areas would be fun.

PAINTING

When I’m painting, I first prep multiple boards. It is amazing how meditative the prep work can be. And there is something invigorating about the repetitive motions of not having to think “too” much during this initial phase: paint/plaster/sand/stain

After I have a nice stack of prepared boards, I’m ready to paint. I usually work in a series and on multiple boards at once. Last year I did a series about the loss of memory, so my focus was on building up surfaces, then tearing them away revealing portions of previous layers. Since I work in oil and cold wax, I have to allow for drying time, which is another reason I work on multiple pieces at once.

When I’m in my painting studio, I always have music playing. My friends tease me because I’m usually listening to the Flo Rida station on Pandora.

ASSEMBLAGE

I create assemblages using found objects, the fancy word for junk. I’m always on the lookout for cast off rusty or interesting bits, worn out wood, or old tins. Going to estate sales, antique stores, or vintage markets is an on-going, part-time job for me. My raw materials are all organized (more or less) and arranged in my basement studio. When I’m feeling the urge to create my Curious Elements or my Funky Junkyard Birds, or if I’ve been invited to participate in a show, I clear off the work tables and begin laying out possible compositions.

It is a trial and error process, a series of auditions – this bit here, that bit there. Once I determine I have a winner, then I begin the attachment process – glue to hold the pieces in place, then always some sort of cold connection for a more finished look.

HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE

Regarding my paintings, people consistently comment on two things when they see my work: my use of color and my depth and intricacy of layers.

My assemblage pieces differ because of the variety and uniqueness of the materials I use. Some components may be similar to something other artists are using, but the way I’ve designed my pieces makes them totally original. My Curious Elements differ in that it is about a 16-step process that is unique to me.

WHAT AM I WORKING ON

I have so many projects right now (and so many deadlines) that I have a big calendar in my studio to help keep me on track. Here’s a listing, but I’ll spare you the details.

Contribution for Serena Barton’s book on oil and cold wax
Prayer Flag Project
Day of the Dead show at Guardino
Day of the Dead show at Stone Buddha
Prototypes for pitching a possible 2015 show
November show with the Salem Art Group
Studio Tour pieces for sale
December Show and Sale
Ricochet Show with Cynthia Herron

And finally . . . . .

Proposals for teaching (yes, I hope to teach in 2015!)

Hey, this list makes me hyperventilate. I better wrap this up and get to work.

Before I do that, I have the privilege of introducing you to the three artists I’ve invited to participate in this blog hop.

Stephanie Brockway is a close, personal friend. We have traveled together, we have extensively junked together. She is one of my cheerleaders and a huge supporter of me as an artist; those kinds of friends are rare. Steph is an amazing artist. She is a painter (and it was in a painting class at Oregon College of Art and Craft where we met). Steph is also a prolific carver and she has had several feature shows. She just had a show at Guardino Gallery in Portland and has a new show opening at RiverSea Gallery in Astoria. Steph’s blogging is sporadic, but her intentions are there, especially with the pressure of accepting the invite for this blog hop!

Jennifer Campbell is a fellow scavenger of interesting metal and wood bits and we always run into each other at vintage junk fairs and markets, usually grabbing for the same thing. I met Jennifer when I joined the Portland Art Collective several years ago, and was introduced to her beautiful, fascinating found object jewelry and assemblages. I remember buying a metal flaming heart necklace as she passed it around during our monthly show and tell sessions. Jennifer’s jewelry has evolved and morphed over the years and she sells all over the Northwest.

Paula McNamee is a quiet woman who dabbles in many mediums and anything she does turns to gold. She is a painter, a jewelry maker, an art journaler, a textile artist, and a thing maker. She has a beautiful sense of color and is bold in her experimentation, which always makes for lovely and often unexpected results. One year she designed keys with stamped words, put them on a long chain, and added a bit of sari ribbon. I think I bought ten of them to give as gifts. I asked Paula to participate in this blog hop because I think more people need to be exposed to Paula’s art!

Salem Art Fair and Festival: Creature Creations

The 2014 Salem Art Fair and Festival has concluded, but I was lucky enough to be invited to lead an activity in the kids area on Saturday. The activity was painting and decorating a 16″ muslin Bendi doll. I led this workshop for the Salem Art Association back in October, 2013; here’s a link to that post: I’m Nuts For Art. Both art doll sessions were sponsored and generously funded by the Bush Barn Gallery Guides.

I’ve done lots of planning over the past couple of months in preparation for yesterday, with the most important being rounding up 60 dolls!

I got all of the supplies to the Salem Art Association and then on Saturday, arrived early enough to get everything ready.

Kids purchased tickets for the various activities . . . . .

We immediately had kids ready to make a creature and for the next four hours, there was a steady stream of activity. (PS We even had some adults creating dolls, some under the guise of helping their child and others blatantly creating!)

It was a wildly fun and successful day. But boy, was I tired that night.

Scattered By the Wind: July Update

I have hardly had time to do an update on my Scattered By the Wind prayer flag project. In a nutshell, anyone can make a flag, which is then hung in downtown Salem at the Salem Art Association’s Project Space venue. Flags are for sale for $10 each, with proceeds going to art programming at Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility. For more information on all of this, please check out my previous posts.

May 27, my initial post about the project

June 15, an update on the project

June 24, the idea to sell the flags

All three of these posts were done before I was even set up in my area at the Project Space venue in downtown Salem. Since getting set up, I have hosted a First Wednesday, two community flag making days (four more to go), and received dozens of flags. That’s what this post is all about. Here is what it looked like as I was moving in the first of July.

Then the fun began. The public was invited to make flags in July during the First Wednesday art walk and reception.

Even the City of Salem mayor stopped by and was captivated by my project.

I’ve hosted two community flag days. Here’s a look at the first, where so many great flags were created (and sampling of a few flags).

Then, last Thursday, a second community flag-making day (and again, just a sampling of the flags that were created).

To see all of the flags and more photos as the project progresses, please visit my Facebook page: Scattered By the Wind. Flags can be purchased by getting in touch with me to make payment and pick up arrangements.

Oh, I almost forgot. The most recent statistics for the project. Here they are:

Flags sent or given out: 177

Flags received back: 59

Flags hanging: 114

Flags sold: 47

There is still time to make a flag! They aren’t due back until the end of August, so shoot me an e-mail if you would like to participate: dayna@daynajcollins.com/curele.

Walkabout: Paths, Journeys & Destinations: The Opening

Last Friday was the opening of the Salem Art Association Radius 25 show, a show for established and emerging artists living with a 25-mile radius of Salem. The theme for the show was Walkabout: Paths, Journeys & Destinations, with creative interpretations of this theme encouraged. I wrote about my pieces and how I chose to interpret the theme in a previous blog post. You can see it by clicking here.

I didn’t take many photos, but here are a couple.

Me with Cameron Kaseberg, the guest juror for the show.

With fellow artist and friend, Julie Jeanseau (and her adorable daughter).

The reception was so crowded and I did so much visiting, that I never got to see the entire show. I want to go back when I have time to enjoy all of the wonderful art. The exhibit, at Bush Barn in Salem, is up through Friday, August 29.

The Journey Home

The Journey Home. My three paintings were accepted into Salem Art Association’s annual Radius 25 show, a show open to established and emerging adult artists living or working with a 25-mile radius of Salem. The theme for this year’s show is Walkabout: Paths, Journeys & Destinations. I immediately knew that my theme would be The Journey Home, the journey home for my dad, who died May 17.

I decided to use a previous painting (that my mother has hanging in her kitchen) as my inspiration. Here’s a page from my working art journal.

We were asked to write a process statement, describing our process and subject matter. Here is what I submitted:

My three Journey Home pieces were created by painting cradled wood panels with acrylic paint, applying a layer of plaster for texture and interest, sanding, scraping, then staining the plaster with watered down acrylic paint. All of this was in preparation for painting, which I did using a mixture of oil and cold wax applied with a putty knife. The subject matter is a further exploration of working in layers and its relationship to memory, something I began experimenting with over and year ago in response to my father’s descent into dementia. My dad lost his battle with Alzheimer’s just a few weeks ago and these pieces were created in response to his death.

Lots of layers and contemplation went into these three pieces.

The finished pieces.

"The Journey Home: Without a Pang of Remorse," 18x18 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax, on cradled panel. — “The Journey Home: Without a Pang of Remorse,” 18×18 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax, on cradled panel.

"The Journey Home: Caught in an Undertow," 18x18 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax, on cradled panel. — “The Journey Home: Caught in an Undertow,” 18×18 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax, on cradled panel.

"The Journey Home: The Ease of Slumber," 18x18 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax, on cradled panel. — “The Journey Home: The Ease of Slumber,” 18×18 inches, plaster, oil, and cold wax, on cradled panel.

The show runs from Friday, July 11 through Friday, August 29, at Bush Barn in Salem, Oregon.

Scattered By the Wind: An Update

My prayer flag project, which I outlined in a previous post, is gaining momentum. It officially begins in July, but I’ve been doing posts on Facebook about my project and inviting friends and acquaintances (or strangers) to join in by making a flag. So far, I’ve sent out and distributed about 100 flags, which means lots of ripping, ironing, and sewing is going on so I can send out the flags.

All of the flags will eventually be curated and strung together, then hung for the Salem Art Association Project Space opening reception on September 3. My initial idea had been that after the reception, I would contact the library or a school and see about having them hang somewhere public for a while. Then a friend asked if the flags would be for sale, which got my brain to swirling and I’ve decided that I’m going to sell the flags with proceeds going to the Salem Art Association’s art program at Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility in Salem. I’ve also been invited to offer a class to the boys teaching them to make a prayer flag.

I’m thinking out loud here, but my thought is to sell the flags for $10 each, making them affordable to purchase. As of today, I’m thinking the flags will be available for purchase on September 3. More on all that later, but I’m excited to think that the flags will serve a greater purpose.

In the meantime, I’ve been painting and creating flags myself. I have three series going. One is crosses and cruicforms.

Another focuses on black and white (with a spice of red).

And finally, a whole series where I’m using vivid color and lots of line work.

Want to make a flag? E-mail me your name and address and I’ll send you prayer flag kit. I’ll even include a stamped, self-addressed envelope to make it easy to send your flag back to me: dayna@alleyartstudio.com

Scattered By the Wind: Prayer Flag Project

I was juried in as a participant of Salem Art Association’s Project Space and I’m excited to share what I’ve chosen to do. But first, a bit about Project Space and then details about my project.

The Project

Project Space is Salem Art Association’s dynamic, temporary and contemporary non-commercial art initiative, which offers artists a place for experimental art and interaction with the Salem community. Open June 3 to September 5, 2014, this year’s program will include openings on four First Wednesdays starting in June in addition to other receptions, performances and events.

My Project

I have long been intrigued by prayer flags and it is my intention to create a series of prayer flags, experimenting with various mediums and ideas, including repetition, painting, embellishments, words, themes, color, composition, and journaling. The tradition of Tibetan prayer flags dates back thousands of years. Traditional flags were stamped with prayers, mantras, and symbols then hung and left to flutter in the breeze, spreading wishes for happiness, long life, and prosperity.

Community Involvement

Along with my series of prayer flags, I’m inviting the community to join me in creating flags. This will be accomplished by invitation, requesting a flag, or by attending one of my open community days. Using fabric, paint, texture, images, and words, I will provide everything you need to create a prayer flag that will be strung with others to create strands of community flags that will be displayed at the Project Space venue on September 3. Community sessions will be held from 12-3 on the following dates:

Saturday, July 12

Tuesday, July 15

Thursday, July 24

Tuesday, August 5

Saturday, August 9

Thursday, August 14

All of these sessions will be held on the second floor of Liberty Plaza in downtown Salem.

Behind the Scenes

In preparation for creating all of these prayer flags, I had to cut and rip lots of fabric . . . . and I had to dig out my sewing machine and learn how to use it. Thank heavens it came with a DVD.

I became pretty proficient at sewing straight seams.

I have 131 flags all ready to be arted up.

Private Flags

In order to involve as many people as possible, I have put together personal prayer flag kits. The kit includes a piece of muslin cloth that can be embellished any way you want. There are no parameters, no limitations, nothing that is off limits. You can paint, use rubber stamps, write with felt pens, glue or sew on fabric scraps, add embellishments (buttons, ribbons, jewels . . . .). It is my hope that you will play and have fun creating a flag.

In the kit, I will include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for mailing your prayer flag back to me. I’ll need your flag no later than Friday, August 15, so I have time to string the flags together. Send me an e-mail if you would like to participate (dayna@alleyartstudio.com). I’ll be making a list of everyone who joins in, which I’ll have on display at the unveiling and reception on Wednesday, September 3.

Beyond Words: RiverSea Gallery

I have long been a fan of RiverSea Gallery in Astoria, Oregon. Every time I visited Astoria I made sure to stop into this beautiful gallery. When I started painting several years ago, I barely allowed myself to dream that I might one day have my art hanging in RiverSea. Well, my dream came true. My paintings are now in RiverSea Gallery.

At the end of April, my friend Cynthia and I took a road trip to Astoria to drop off my art. I got to meet the gallery director, Jeannine, and she got to see my art in person.